Market Trends of europe seed Industry
Cereals dominated the European row crop acreages due to the extensive cultivation of wheat in various countries
- Europe covers a major area under the group of row crops, which mainly includes grains and cereals, oilseeds, and forage crops. In 2022, row crops accounted for 197.9 million ha in acreage, with a share of 94.6% of the total area. Grains and cereals occupied the major area under cultivation of crops in Europe in 2022, accounting for 134.04 million ha, which increased by 1.6% from the previous year due to strong demand for cereals as a staple food. Demand from processing and blending industries and increased output prices also facilitated the cultivation of grains and cereals. The acreage declined in 2017 and 2018 in major grain and cereal-producing countries such as Turkey, Italy, Russia, France, and Germany. The primary reasons for the decline include unexpected heavy rainfall, hail damage, higher precipitation prior to planting season, and shifting toward oilseeds.
- Europe cultivated oilseeds on over 47.8 million hectares in 2022, which increased by 15.1% between 2016 and 2022. It was mainly due to the increase in cultivation in sunflower, soybean, and canola areas driven by the high demand for edible oil and feed industries. The good sowing conditions in late summer/autumn enabled growers to increase the area under oilseed cultivation.
- The area for forage crop cultivation increased by 3.7% in 2022 from 2016 due to the increased forage and feed demand from the livestock sector. The area under commercial seeds is rising because of the quality forage requirement from dairy farmers. Forage corn has the largest area under cultivation among forage crops, accounting for 5.8 million ha in 2022.
- The crop area particularly depends on weather and climatic conditions in the region. The favorable conditions and stable demand for crops are estimated to drive the acreage in the region.
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Hybrid forage seeds are gaining traction with wider adaptability and early matured traits
- Alfalfa and forage corn are popular forage crops extensively cultivated across Europe. Due to their significance in the livestock industry, scientific efforts are being made to enhance the yield and quality of alfalfa through breeding techniques. As the climate changes, so do the environmental factors that impact crops the most. Consequently, demand for high uniformity and wider adaptability alfalfa cultivars that adapt to regional conditions has increased and are widely employed by farmers.
- Companies such as Bayer, DLF, and Barenbrug have introduced many varieties of alfalfa and forage corn in the United Kingdom, such as Alfalfa (DKC 3218, DKC 3204, Debalto, and Marcamo), as well as forage corn (Daisy, Fado, and Power 4.2). These varieties possess the ability to withstand diverse environmental conditions, adapt to various soil types, and withstand field stress and heat conditions.
- The demand for seeds with early maturity and high starch content characteristics is estimated to grow rapidly. These varieties offer a shorter growing period, allowing farmers to harvest sooner, and the high starch content in forage corn enhances its nutritional value for animal feed. Moreover, the EU Commission initiated a new project called REFORMA (2016-2020) to address farmers' requirements. This project aims to develop advanced breeding techniques and introduce new cultivars of alfalfa and other forage crops.
- The demand for robust varieties of alfalfa and forage corn with traits such as disease resistance, high dry matter content, insect resistance, long shelf life, and drought tolerance is projected to increase significantly during the forecast period to compensate for yield losses and increase productivity to meet consumption requirements.
Understand The Key Trends Shaping This Market
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Understand The Key Trends Shaping This Market
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OTHER KEY INDUSTRY TRENDS COVERED IN THE REPORT
- Roots and bulbs dominate the vegetable cultivation in Europe due to their high-income potential and strong domestic demand
- There has been an increase in demand for disease-resistant and herbicide-tolerant oilseed varieties with high oleic and linoleic content
- Climatic factors and disease management are driving the adoption of hybrid varieties of wheat and corn in the region
- There has been an increase in the use of hybrids with disease-resistant and high uniformity carrot and cauliflower traits
- Disease-resistant hybrids of cabbage and tomato seeds with wider adaptability are in higher demand in the region
- Hybridization is the popular breeding technique employed in almost all the major crops grown in Europe
